Meet Rene Perez

We were lucky to catch up with Rene Perez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rene, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?

I take after my father and brothers when it comes to self-discipline. I often say that I had seven father figures growing up: my six brothers and my dad, and six mother figures: my five older sisters and my mother – and two younger sisters. When we were kids, my siblings and dad were very athletic, playing a variety of sports, such as baseball, basketball, and football. In fact, my dad even won championships in baseball and pool in Puerto Rico. Being around so many different activities inspired my love for sports, exercise, and martial arts, which all require a lot of discipline…

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents and I am one of 13 siblings. I come from a family of athletes – my brothers were into sports, and my father was an athlete back in Puerto Rico. As a kid, I always wanted to be a professional basketball player in the NBA, and my main inspiration was Michael Jordan. I even won a championship for my public school, PS 188 in Coney Island, and played for the And 1 team for a while. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances in life, that dream was no longer feasible.

However, I’ve always been passionate about martial arts. My dad, being a movie fanatic, introduced me to cinema, and I fell in love with movies, especially kung fu films. Since then, I’ve been interested in the arts, and I have achieved rankings in Aikido, Seido Karate, and Kyokushin. I’ve also practiced another Japanese karate art called Ushiro Karate Jissenjuku under Kenji Ushiro in Japan. In addition, I’ve dabbled in boxing and judo.

Despite working for the Unified Court system for 17 years as a court analyst, which I enjoy and helps me pay the bills, I have always been drawn to acting. Ever since I took acting classes at Actors Equity in 42nd Grand Central when I was 16 or 19, it’s been a career I have always wanted to pursue. Acting is my main focus now, and I’m dedicated to pursuing it as a career.

Some might consider me a polymath because I have a passion for knowledge. I am an avid reader and love learning about history and ancient cultures, as well as esoteric knowledge, including the mysteries of the Egyptians and the Greeks, on which I have given numerous lectures. I also have a deep knowledge of my ancestral background in the Taino, who were the indigenous people of the Caribbean, given my Puerto Rican heritage, and have a strong affinity for my culture. Because of my aspiring knowledge in these fields, some of my friends and family try to inspire me to go back to college and achieve a PhD or master’s degree. However, considering how student loans can really take a toll on your life and money, I’d rather think about. Right now my main focus is acting I’ve a done a few TV shows FBI, Law and & Order and also just wrapped a film called Merciless Christmas in whom I play a character called Fame.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three most impactful pieces of knowledge in my life are critical thinking, self-awareness, and perseverance. I had to mature quickly due to a difficult childhood, which led me to rely on critical thinking throughout my life. The ability to think critically has greatly impacted the quality of my life. Later on, I learned the importance of self-awareness, which helped me to understand my personality, beliefs, and thought process. Being self-aware made me curious about my place in life and my purpose. Lastly, I have found that perseverance is crucial. Despite wanting to give up at times, I always remNo matter the circumstances in life, never give up. My advice is to never regret anything in life; learn from the mistakes of others because you don’t live long enough to make them all on your own. Don’t ever forget where you come from; be yourself. There’s a saying, ‘You lose money, you lose nothing; you lose a family member or friend, you lose something; but once you lose your integrity, you lose everything.’!!!

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My family and my siblings were my first teachers, and they taught me everything. My dad and my mother were my inspiration in life. When I was a kid, my idols were Bruce Lee and all the movie stars, and Einstein because I was an active reader in science. But later, my dad became my biggest inspiration. Despite getting sick from diabetes and having to undergo amputation of his fingers and legs, he never lost his sense of humor. Although he was depressed and may not have wanted to live anymore, his humor never left him. My dad taught me that no matter what life throws at you, don’t take it too seriously because our time on this earth is limited. My mother had a tough life as a single mother raising 13 kids, but she never turned to drugs or abandoned us. She is a true mother.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: RenePerezbrooklyn.

Image Credits

The pictures were taken by Angie Vasquez Instagram Angielmv